FAU COACH HAS A GAME PLAN FOR PLAYERS WHO FALL INTO SLUMP

And Moore should know about slumping players -- he is disappointed that his team's 1988 record is 16-10. Moore had a combined winning percentage of .789 (86-23) in his four previous seasons at FAU.

"My guys are in a slump," Moore said, "and, for any player to break through a slump, they should use what I call the Spot Strategy."

The strategy is equally applicable to club and college players.

"The slump can be overcome by positively focusing on a simple and straightforward game plan," Moore said. "The emphasis is not negative, worrying about one's own errors. It is a strategy concerned with hitting only three basic shots repetitively, forcing the opponent to return the specific shots."

Moore said the fundamental game plan is to force your opponent to run vertically, rather than using the more traditional horizontal attack.

The No. 1 offense to use is the deep shot, either forehand or backhand, to the area immediately surrounding (but not behind) the center mark at the baseline.

"With single-minded concentration, this is the easiest shot in tennis," Moore said. "Your opponent can't do much with the shot. There are no angles to speak of, and the shot is too deep for him to control the game. If you give your opponent some topspin, it's even tougher."

The No. 2 shot Moore recommends is the lob.

"Think about it," Moore said. "If you were to forget about the player on the court, the lob would be even easier than shot No. 1. Even knowing the player is there, why couldn't anyone hit a high percentage of lobs, 75 or 99 of 100?"

Moore said the lob should be 12-15 feet high at its apex and land 3-6 feet from the baseline, in an area somewhat broader than your target zone for shot No. 1.

Again, Moore said hitting this shot with topspin would be "great, but not necessary."

After forcing your opponent back away from the net with your first two weapons, throw your changeup -- shot No. 3.

Moore calls it the chip shot, the drop shot, the short shot or the "Little No. 1 Shot."

This shot should land in an area surrounding your opponent's center line at the net.

Moore said if you aim your shot to the sidelines up near the net, you have to beware of angled returns. And, Moore said, you should never hit shot No. 3 anywhere near -- neither behind nor in front of -- your opponent's service line.

"Why don't more people use this strategy more often?" Moore said. "It's because no one stays with the spot strategy. So what if your opponent hits some winners? Don't stop practicing the shots. If you continue to hit those three shots, it is guaranteed your opponents will make more and more errors and will get madder and madder."

With a guarantee like that, players would be mad not to try Moore's Spot Strategy.

BIOGRAPHY

Name: Bob Moore.

Affiliation: Florida Atlantic University men's coach.

Teaching since: 1983.

College: University of Virginia.

Career highlights: Had a 70-7 singles record as the No. 3 player at Virginia.